BREAKING NEWS

BREAKING NEWS

Gate City hoopla tips off Thursday at North for girls, South for boys

For high school basketball fans in the Gate City, the gifts keep coming even after the holidays are done.

This year’s holiday basketball tournaments held in Nashua, both of which start on Thursday, feature a few out-of-division matchups that should have spectators happy even after all the presents have been opened.

And while 13 local boys and girls teams will be competing in Nashua, a handful of others will be traveling around New Hampshire and Massachusetts for the holidays.

CHICK-FIL-A TOURNAMENT

The boys tournament returns to Nashua South for the third year in a row, and the hosts will be looking for their third straight tourney championship. The Panthers, who are off to a 2-0 start in Division I, will take on Hollis Brookline, also 2-0 in D-II, in the final game Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

South has gotten off to a good start thanks to the return of senior Yordy Tavarez, who has averaged 26.5 points in the Panthers’ two wins. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have won both their games by allowing an average of 36.5 points.

The tournament opens up at 3 p.m. Thursday with a battle of rivals, as Milford and Souhegansquare off. The Sabers have won the last five meetings between the two teams, including a tournament win two years ago. The teams will also meet in the first of two regular-season games on Jan. 10.

At 4:30, last year’s runner-up Thornton Academy, of Saco, Maine, takes on this year’s newcomer, Goffstown, and at 6 p.m., Nashua North faces rival Alvirne.

Play continues on Friday, starting at 3 p.m., and the tournament concludes with Saturday’s championship game, scheduled for 4:30 at South.

NASHUA NORTH

HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT

The Nashua girls tourney returns for its third season, but the field will be a little smaller, with only eight teams participating.

One of the teams not returning is last year’s champion Bedford, but runner-up Bishop Guertin is back, and the Cardinals will play one of the more intriguing matchups to open the tourney. Bishop Guertin starts things off against Souhegan at 2 p.m., matching current Cardinals coach Jeremy Faulkner against the team he helped win two D-II championships.

Also on Thursday, Merrimack takes on Pelham at 3:30 p.m. and Nashua South will take on Alvirne at 5 p.m. The day ends with host North facing Milford, a D-II semifinalist a year ago, at 6:30 p.m. in what could be one of the best games of the tournament.

Play resumes on Friday at 2 p.m. and finishes on Saturday, with the championship game scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at North.

Other holiday tournaments

The Merrimack boys and the Hollis Brookline girls will both head to Manchester for their holiday tournament action.

The Tomahawks will again take part in the Queen City Invitational, held at Manchester Memorial, and will open at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday against Weaver High School, of Hartford.

A win would put Merrimack in the 6 p.m. game on Friday, while the tournament championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday.

HB plays in the opening game of the Manchester Central Girls Basketball Tournament against Manchester West at 2 p.m. Friday.

The tournament, which will be played at Central, continues Saturday with the championship game scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday.

The Bishop Guertin boys will once again participate in the Boston Amateur Basketball Club Holiday Classic, held in Roxbury, Mass. The Cardinals play at noon on Friday against New Mission (Hyde Park, Mass.) at the Shelburne Country Club, and again on Sunday at noon against Dorchester (Mass.) at the Reggie Lewis Center.

The Campbell boys travel West to take part in the Zero Gravity Holiday Boys Basketball Tournament at Keene State College.

The Cougars open play against Lebanon at 5:30 p.m. Friday, and the tournament continues through Sunday.

The Wilton-Lyndeborough boys will head to Meredith to participate in the Inter-Lakes Holiday Jamboree, which runs Dec. 27-29 and will also feature Franklin, Woodsville, Mascenic and Sunapee, along with the hosts.

Meanwhile, Wilton-Lyndeborough’s girls played in the Zero Gravity Holiday Girls Basketball Tournament, held last week, and advanced to the third-place game.

Gate City hoopla tips off Thursday at North for girls, South for boys

For high school basketball fans in the Gate City, the gifts keep coming even after the holidays are done.

This year’s holiday basketball tournaments held in Nashua, both of which start on Thursday, feature a few out-of-division matchups that should have spectators happy even after all the presents have been opened.

And while 13 local boys and girls teams will be competing in Nashua, a handful of others will be traveling around New Hampshire and Massachusetts for the holidays.

CHICK-FIL-A TOURNAMENT

The boys tournament returns to Nashua South for the third year in a row, and the hosts will be looking for their third straight tourney championship. The Panthers, who are off to a 2-0 start in Division I, will take on Hollis Brookline, also 2-0 in D-II, in the final game Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

South has gotten off to a good start thanks to the return of senior Yordy Tavarez, who has averaged 26.5 points in the Panthers’ two wins. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have won both their games by allowing an average of 36.5 points.

The tournament opens up at 3 p.m. Thursday with a battle of rivals, as Milford and Souhegan square off. The Sabers have won the last five meetings between the two teams, including a tournament win two years ago. The teams will also meet in the first of two regular-season games on Jan. 10.

At 4:30, last year’s runner-up Thornton Academy, of Saco, Maine, takes on this year’s newcomer, Goffstown, and at 6 p.m., Nashua North faces rival Alvirne.

Play continues on Friday, starting at 3 p.m., and the tournament concludes with Saturday’s championship game, scheduled for 4:30 at South.

NASHUA NORTH

HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT

The Nashua girls tourney returns for its third season, but the field will be a little smaller, with only eight teams participating.

One of the teams not returning is last year’s champion Bedford, but runner-up Bishop Guertin is back, and the Cardinals will play one of the more intriguing matchups to open the tourney. Bishop Guertin starts things off against Souhegan at 2 p.m., matching current Cardinals coach Jeremy Faulkner against the team he helped win two D-II championships.

Also on Thursday, Merrimack takes on Pelham at 3:30 p.m. and Nashua South will take on Alvirne at 5 p.m. The day ends with host North facing Milford, a D-II semifinalist a year ago, at 6:30 p.m. in what could be one of the best games of the tournament.

Play resumes on Friday at 2 p.m. and finishes on Saturday, with the championship game scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at North.

Other holiday tournaments

The Merrimack boys and the Hollis Brookline girls will both head to Manchester for their holiday tournament action.

The Tomahawks will again take part in the Queen City Invitational, held at Manchester Memorial, and will open at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday against Weaver High School, of Hartford.

A win would put Merrimack in the 6 p.m. game on Friday, while the tournament championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday.

HB plays in the opening game of the Manchester Central Girls Basketball Tournament against Manchester West at 2 p.m. Friday.

The tournament, which will be played at Central, continues Saturday with the championship game scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday.

The Bishop Guertin boys will once again participate in the Boston Amateur Basketball Club Holiday Classic, held in Roxbury, Mass. The Cardinals play at noon on Friday against New Mission (Hyde Park, Mass.) at the Shelburne Country Club, and again on Sunday at noon against Dorchester (Mass.) at the Reggie Lewis Center.

The Campbell boys travel West to take part in the Zero Gravity Holiday Boys Basketball Tournament at Keene State College.

The Cougars open play against Lebanon at 5:30 p.m. Friday, and the tournament continues through Sunday.

The Wilton-Lyndeborough boys will head to Meredith to participate in the Inter-Lakes Holiday Jamboree, which runs Dec. 27-29 and will also feature Franklin, Woodsville, Mascenic and Sunapee, along with the hosts.

Meanwhile, Wilton-Lyndeborough’s girls played in the Zero Gravity Holiday Girls Basketball Tournament, held last week, and advanced to the third-place game.